Ghee: Benefits and How To Make Your Own

What is GHEE?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is prepared by boiling butter to separate the milk solids from the butter fat, leaving you with a beautiful oil that not only taste yummy, but is also good for you!

Ayurveda places ghee, or clarified butter, at the top of the oily foods
list, as it has the healing benefits of butter without the impurities.

In an article from Yoga Journal, it states:

Ayurvedic
classic, claims ghee is beneficial for the whole body, and recommends it
as the ultimate remedy for problems stemming from the pitta dosha, such as inflammation.

For all you yogis out there, 

Ghee lubricates the connective tissues and promotes flexibility, says Dr. Vasant Lad, director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

As a yoga instructor, I see so many students, me included, who have issues with their hamstrings and tight connective tissue.  In fact, I have posted a little about Yin Yoga which focuses on that very thing, releasing tight connective tissue and fascia.  I recommend Yin Yoga and using ghee instead of butter.

Ghee enhances the flavor of almost any dish and aids digestion.  Butterfat contains no lactose, so even people who cannot use dairy products CAN use ghee.

Ghee, although a type of clarified butter, differs slightly in the way it is prepared. The process of creating traditional clarified butter is
complete once the water is evaporated and the fat (clarified butter) is
separated from the milk solids. However, the production of ghee includes
simmering the butter along with the milk solids so that they caramelize, which makes it nutty-tasting and very aromatic.

I do love to use clarified butter or ghee in my Happy Bar recipe because it does give it an extra rich flavor.  Ghee or clarified butter is yummy on pasta and lightly steamed veggies, popcorn, french bread, or any other way you usually use butter.

The nice thing about ghee, is that is will store UNREFRIGERATED for over 4 months at room temperature.

You can buy ghee at a health food store, but it is VERY easy to make.

All you need is 1/2 pound, preferably organic unsalted butter.  (I have used salted and notice that the salt is left in the sediment, so it maybe it doesn’t end up in the ghee)?  If you have knoweledge about that, please reply.

Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to maintain a soft, rolling boil. (As it boils the butter will foam, and make tiny, sharp cracking noises). Cook for about 10-15 minutes.  You will know when it is ready when………….. The crackling noise stops and the sound becomes a rounder, boiling sound. The foaming almost ceases. It begins to smell like popcorn and caramel. It turns a lovely golden color. The white sediment that forms on the bottom turns a light tan color.

Remove the pan from heat immediately because the ghee can easily burn. (If it burns it will begin to rapidly foam again and turn brown instead of golden).  Cool slightly.  Pour through a fine stainless steel strainer into a glass or ceramic container.

Makes about 3/4 – 1 cup ghee.

Place in a jar with a secure lid, and keep it handy for all your butter needs.